Today is International Womens Day. This day is celebrated annually on the 8th of March.
All over the world women are being recognized for their contribution in nation building and development.
BoxinGhana.com is today acknowledging women working to make a difference in Ghana. This article spotlights five (5) women making boxing in Ghana great.
International Women’s Day 2022 is being celebrated this year under the theme “Break The Bias”. The theme encourages the world to imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. The goal of this campaign is to encourage men and women to collaborate to forge ahead with equality.
Women globally play major roles in boxing with significant representation in the ring as boxers, coaches at corners, officiating and board members of key boxing stakeholders like Top Rank, International Boxing Association and World Boxing Council.
Meet these five (5) Ghanaian women making a difference in their respective roles within the boxing space.
1. Dr. Ornella Sathoud (Boxer)
Dr. Ornella is an Analytical Chemist and boxer. She is the first and only Ghanaian woman to have won a medal for Ghana on the international stage.
Ornella won bronze in Darkar in February 2020 at the African Olympic Boxing Qualifiers. Ornella is ranked in the middle weight as 3rd in Africa and 10th in the world. Ornella was awarded in 2021 by the women in sports Association for her contribution to Ghana Boxing.
2. Naa Amerley Turkson (Coach and Referee/Judge)
Naa Amerley Turkson, a pioneer female boxer turned Coach. Naa Amerley has worked with various boxers including Bastie Samir, Habib Ahmed, Patrick Allotey, Wahid Omar,
Theophilus Allotey and Caleb Mensah. She remains the only female coach in Ghana heading the Referees in Ghana.
3. Sarah Lotus Asare (Wisdom Boxing Club Administrator, Columnist and Organizer)
Sarah is a trained Archaeologist and Sales Executive with Travel Planners Ghana. She combines a career in tourism with making world a better place through boxing programs.
Sarah is the Executive Secretary for WBC Cares Africa Chapter, Administrator for Wisdom Boxing Club and Assistant Organizer for Greater Accra Boxing Association (GABA).
Sarah Lotus Asare has established a niche for herself within the boxing space working with Wisdom Boxing Gym/Club to rebrand the club into a professional sporting club. In 2021, working with GABA, she organized 7 tournaments for boxers in Ghana cutting across juvenile,Youth and Elite as well as seminar for coaches. Promoting humanitarian by boxers in Ghana with the program Boxing Kids in Philanthropy with support from the Ghana Philanthropy Forum.
4. Jacqueline Onasis (Card Girl)
Jacqueline is a graduate of Accra Technical University and a Fashion designer. She has also shown a lot of passion as a card girl at boxing events and he’s recognized as Ghana’s Card Girl.
She made her debut during the Banku vs Bastie bout and continues to entertain fans at bouts as a Card Girl.
5. Yarkor Chavez (Queen Mother cum Boxer)
Yarkor Chavez is a pioneer boxer crowned as Queen mother in one of the traditional areas of the Greater Accra traditional area. She made a return to the boxing ring last Sunday night, March 6 against Zambian Lolita Muzeya which ended in defeat against Chavez via a round one knockout.
She’s an inspiration to young female boxers to keep going.
The current boxing boards, that is, both Ghana Boxing Authority and Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) have no women on their boards. Boxing in Ghana needs more hands to develop. Women can help so let’s accord them equal rights and representation in the boxing fraternity.
I hope this read was educational. We encourage more women to take up roles in boxing to help make the sport great.